U.S. patent number 11,009,342 [Application Number 16/640,556] was granted by the patent office on 2021-05-18 for hardness and flatness tester.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Stepan Company. The grantee listed for this patent is STEPAN COMPANY. Invention is credited to Thomas K. Johnson, Jr., David J. Norberg, Daniel Yocius.
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United States Patent |
11,009,342 |
Johnson, Jr. , et
al. |
May 18, 2021 |
Hardness and flatness tester
Abstract
Methods and systems for determining the integrity of a
manufactured board are disclosed. An example system includes a
testing platform configured to secure the manufactured board, a
sensor configured to measure a parameter corresponding to a
flatness of a surface of the board, and a controller. The
controller is configured to identify regions on the surface
corresponding to one of a peak or a valley based on the parameter,
and calculate a score representing the integrity of the
manufactured board based on the identified peaks and valleys. The
controller adjusts a flow rate, a pressure, a temperature, and
position of a deposited substance in a manufacturing process based
on a comparison with a height of the peak and/or a depth of the
valley to stored peak heights and/or valley depths. In some
examples, a mechanical tester determines a compressive strength and
a density of the board at the identified regions.
Inventors: |
Johnson, Jr.; Thomas K.
(Chicago, IL), Norberg; David J. (Grayslake, IL), Yocius;
Daniel (Western Springs, IL) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
STEPAN COMPANY |
Northfield |
IL |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Stepan Company (Northfield,
IL)
|
Family
ID: |
1000005559809 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/640,556 |
Filed: |
August 3, 2018 |
PCT
Filed: |
August 03, 2018 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/US2018/045221 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
February 20, 2020 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2019/040262 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
February 28, 2019 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20200217652 A1 |
Jul 9, 2020 |
|
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
62549766 |
Aug 24, 2017 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01B
11/306 (20130101); G01B 11/22 (20130101); G01B
17/08 (20130101); G01B 11/2522 (20130101); G01B
11/0608 (20130101); B29C 44/60 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G01N
21/00 (20060101); G01B 17/08 (20060101); G01B
11/30 (20060101); G01B 11/22 (20060101); G01B
11/06 (20060101); G01B 11/25 (20060101); B29C
44/60 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;356/72 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
PCT International Search Report for PCT Patent Application No.
PCT/US2018/045221 dated Oct. 11, 2018. cited by applicant .
PCT Written Opinion for PCT Patent Application No.
PCT/US2018/045221 dated Oct. 11, 2018. cited by applicant .
Molleda, et al., "On-Line Flatness Measurement in the Steelmaking
Industry", Sensors 2013, 13. Published Aug. 9, 2013. Department of
Computer Science and Engineering, University of Oviedo, E-33204
Gijon, Spain. cited by applicant .
European communication reporting the EESR Appln No. 18847883 dated
Jan. 14, 2021. cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Rahman; Md M
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McAndrews, Held & Malloy,
Ltd.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application
No. 62/549,766, filed Aug. 24, 2017. The entire specification of
the provisional application referred to above is hereby
incorporated by reference.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A testing system for determining the integrity of a manufactured
foam board comprising: a testing platform configured to secure the
manufactured foam board; a sensor configured to measure a parameter
corresponding to a flatness of a surface of the manufactured foam
board; and a controller configured to: identify regions on the
surface corresponding to one of a peak or a valley based on the
parameter; adjust an operating value of a manufacturing process
based on a comparison with a height of the peak and/or a depth of
the valley to stored peak heights and/or valley depths
corresponding to operating values; and calculate a score
representing the integrity of the manufactured foam board based on
the identified peaks and valleys.
2. The testing system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further
configured to determine a height of each peak and a depth of each
valley based on the parameter.
3. The testing system of claim 1, further comprising a conveyance
system to advance the manufactured foam board along a conveyor
path, the sensor being configured to scan the manufactured foam
board as it progresses along the conveyor path.
4. The testing system of claim 3, wherein the sensor is configured
to scan the manufactured foam board along an axis that is
perpendicular to a direction of the conveyor path.
5. The testing system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is secured to
a moveable mount, the mount being secured on a plurality of rails
to allow the sensor to navigate in a two-dimensional plane
corresponding to a surface of the test platform, and a motor to
move the sensor in a direction perpendicular to the plane.
6. The testing system of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical
tester configured to determine one of a compressive strength and a
density of the manufactured foam board at the identified
regions.
7. The testing system of claim 1, wherein the testing system is a
computer numerical control testing apparatus.
8. The testing system of claim 1, wherein the manufactured foam
board comprises a polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foam board.
9. The testing system of claim 1, wherein the operating values
comprise one of a flow rate, a pressure, a temperature, and
position of a deposited substance.
10. The testing system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an
infrared sensor, an ultrasound sensor, or a heat sensor.
11. A method of determining the integrity of a manufactured foam
board comprising: measuring, by a sensor, a parameter corresponding
to a flatness of a surface of the manufactured foam board;
identifying, at a controller, regions on the surface corresponding
to one of a peak or a valley based on the parameter; determining,
by the controller, a height value associated with the peak and a
depth value associated with the valley; comparing the height and
depth value data to threshold height and depth value data;
identifying, by the controller, each region that corresponds to a
height and depth that exceeds the threshold height and depth value;
and calculating, by the controller, a score representing the
integrity of the manufactured foam board based on the identified
peak and/or valley.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring, by a
testing device, one of a compressive strength and a density of the
manufactured foam board at each region that includes height and
depth values exceeding the threshold height and depth value.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the parameter comprises a
height of a peak and a depth of a valley.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: comparing the
height of a peak and/or the depth of a valley to stored peak
heights and/or valley depths corresponding to operating values; and
adjusting an operating value of a foam board manufacturing process
based on the comparison.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the operating value is one of a
flow rate, a pressure, a temperature, and position of a deposited
substance.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the testing system is a
computer numerical control testing apparatus.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein measuring further comprises:
moving the sensor across a plane corresponding to the surface of
the manufactured foam board; and activating the sensor to measure
the parameter.
18. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor comprises an
infrared sensor, an ultrasound sensor, or a heat sensor.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present technology relates to methods and apparatuses to test
hardness and/or flatness of a manufactured board. In particular,
the present disclosure describes a testing platform capable of
measuring the flatness of the manufactured board, identifying
regions having peaks and valleys outside an acceptable threshold,
and testing the compressive strength and/or density of the board at
the identified regions.
Aromatic polyester polyols can be used in rigid boardstock
polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams, which can improve
mechanical properties, fire performance, and insulation value.
Aromatic polyester polyols are designed for the requirements of
polyurethane and polyisocyanurate boardstock foam, where a fine
cell structure and premium mechanical properties are required.
Some manufacturing techniques, such as those intended to reduce
costs of manufacturing foam insulation paneling, have resulted in
non-uniformly flat surfaces with a degraded appearance and/or
integrity. Conventional methods to measure the flatness of a foam
board are manual, labor-intensive, and prone to operator error.
Such methods are also limited to a small number of measurement
locations on the board. The result is a slow, resource intensive
process that often fails to provide a complete assessment of the
board's flatness and integrity.
Based on the deficiencies of the current techniques, a more
efficient, more complete method and apparatus to test the integrity
of a manufactured board is desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, this disclosure provides a testing system for
determining the integrity of a manufactured board. The system
includes a testing platform configured to secure the manufactured
board, a sensor configured to measure a parameter corresponding to
a flatness of a surface of the board, and a controller. The
controller is configured to identify regions on the surface
corresponding to one of a peak or a valley based on the parameter,
as well as calculate a score representing the integrity of the
manufactured board based on the identified peaks and valleys.
In a further aspect, this disclosure provides a method of
determining the integrity of a manufactured board. The method
includes measuring, by a sensor, a parameter corresponding to a
flatness of a surface of the board, identifying, at a controller,
regions on the surface corresponding to one of a peak or a valley
based on the parameter, and calculating, by the controller, a score
representing the integrity of the board based on the number of
identified peaks and valleys.
In some examples, the testing system includes a mechanical tester
configured to determine one of a compressive strength and a density
of the board at the identified regions.
In disclosed examples, the method further includes comparing the
height of a peak and/or the depth of a valley to stored peak
heights and/or valley depths corresponding to operating values, and
adjusting an operating value of a board manufacturing process based
on the comparison.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows an example testing system for determining the
integrity of a manufactured board in accordance with aspects of
this disclosure.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example controller for a testing
system in accordance with aspects of this disclosure.
FIG. 3 illustrates an example method of operating a testing system
in accordance with aspects of this disclosure.
The figures are not necessarily to scale. Where appropriate,
similar or identical reference numbers are used to refer to similar
or identical components.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present technology relates to methods and apparatuses to test
the integrity (e.g., flatness and/or hardness) of a manufactured
board (e.g., a foam insulation board). In particular, disclosed is
a testing system that employs a computer numerical control (CNC)
tester for measuring a flatness of a surface of the foam insulation
board, such as by a laser scan.
The flatness of a manufactured board is of increasing importance as
foam densities have decreased, due to, for example, a desire to
limit the amount of resources needed to produce such a board. The
result of applications employing such a board can include lower
insulation performance, water accumulation, membrane adhesion
failure, and decreased compressive strength. Conventional methods
of determining the flatness of a board would use manual techniques
to measure a limited portion of the finished board. The results of
such a limited test would be used to determine the integrity of the
entire board, and in some cases, the lot of boards represented by
the tested sample board. Such a manual process is time and resource
intensive, and the results are not representative of the integrity
of the entire board or lot of boards.
By contrast, the testing system described herein employs a CNC
tester and a laser scan to determine the flatness of the board
surface. The flatness data is used to identify regions defined by
peaks and valleys (e.g., a Z-axis deviation from the surface). The
height of the peaks and the depth of the valleys are compared
against one or more thresholds to determine regions as test
locations in need of additional testing. The additional tests can
include, but are not limited to, determining one or more of a
thickness, a compressive strength, and a density of the board at
the region. The test can be performed by a multi-directional,
motorized testing device affixed to a motorized carriage capable of
traversing the surface of the board (e.g., across an X-Y plane
perpendicular to the Z-axis).
In some examples, the measuring device is used for measuring
location specific physical properties of manufactured boards.
Flatness can be measured by a laser scanner configured to scan the
surface of the manufactured board for physical deviations. Based on
the data collected during the scan, regions of the board that
include peaks and valleys are determined. The identified regions
are then tested for one or more physical properties, such as
compressive strength. In an example, the compressive strength
measuring device and motorized carriage are attached to a frame of
the CNC tester, which can travel across the entire area of the
board's surface and measure data specific to a selected
location.
In some examples, the integrity of the board can be tested through
an online process. In it, each board will progress through one or
more service or test stations configured to measure the flatness of
the board as it passes the station. For example, a laser scan can
be oriented along an axis, such as the axis perpendicular to the
axis of advancement. As the board advances through the testing
station, the laser scanner can measure a depth associated with a
valley, and a height associated with a peak. Based on this
information, regions can be identified for further testing (e.g.,
for compressive strength testing), such as at a second testing
station located along the online process.
Based on the data collected from the scan and/or the measuring
device, a determination is made regarding the integrity of the
board. For instance, a numerical score can be generated that
represents the relative quality of the board corresponding to the
determined integrity. Additionally or alternatively, a region or
regions can be designated as having a low compressive strength.
This information can be provided to a controller configured to
respond to the determination (e.g., adjust an operating parameter
of the manufacturing machinery, discard a board with a low score,
etc.), or presented to an operator.
Additionally or alternatively, the manufacturing process for a foam
board can result in "knit lines". For example, during manufacturing
one or more nozzles are spaced along the width of the foam board,
depositing fluid foam that spreads out and solidifies. The
solidified foam is encased in an outer cover, which can form the
surface to be scanned. In this example, knit lines form as fluid
foam deposited from a first nozzle comes into contact with fluid
foam from a second, adjacent nozzle. An indentation is formed at
the interface as the fluid foam from the two nozzles solidifies,
which can cause a measurable channel in the outer cover. In some
examples, the manufacturing process can result in a peak and/or
valley, as described above. Such peaks and/or valleys may be
measurable through the outer cover, such as by use of a laser
scanner.
By use of the methods and apparatuses described herein, the
flatness measurement is automated, which serves to reduce the
potential for operator errors, and is capable of taking thousands
of accurate measurements. Thus, a more responsive manufacturing
process is provided, and a more consistent and higher quality of
manufactured boards results.
The presently described technology and its advantages will be
better understood by reference to the following examples. These
examples are provided to describe specific embodiments of the
present technology. By providing these examples, the inventors do
not limit the scope and spirit of the present technology.
FIG. 1 illustrates a CNC system 100. The CNC system 100 includes a
measuring device 102 with a sensor 104 mounted thereon. The device
102 is configured to move about the system 100 by one or more
rails, such as a first rail 108 along the Y-axis or lengthwise, and
a second rail 106 along the X-axis or across the width of the
system 100. A motor or other actuator can be incorporated with the
measuring device 102 to move the device 102 along a Z-axis.
Accordingly, the measuring device 102, and the sensor 104 mounted
thereon, can navigate in three-dimensional space above the board.
In some examples, the sensor 104 is mounted remotely from the
measuring device 102. In some examples, the measuring device 102
includes additional test equipment, such as a mechanical tester
(e.g., force sensor) and/or alternative testing device (e.g.,
infrared (IR), ultrasound, etc.) to measure a characteristic (e.g.,
thickness, compressive strength, density, etc.) of a manufactured
board 110.
The CNC system 100 is computer-controlled, capable of navigating
over an area associated with a testing platform 118. In some
examples, the manufactured board 110 (e.g., a foam insulation
board) can be positioned on the platform 118.
Measurements from the sensor 104 can be transmitted to a controller
120, via a wired or wireless channel. The controller 120 can use
the measurements to identify deviations on the board 110, such as a
depression or "valley" 112 and bump or "peak" 114. A valley 112 is
determined by a measured distance below the surface of the board
110, whereas the peak is measured above the surface of the board
110.
The measured difference from the valley 112 and/or peak 114 can be
compared against a list of threshold values stored with the
controller 120. If the difference is within a suitable tolerance,
the corresponding valley 112 and/or peak 114 will not be classified
as a defect on the board 110 surface. However, if the measured
height lies outside the tolerance level, the controller 120 will
designate the regions 122 and/or 124 containing the valley 112
and/or the peak 114 for further testing, such as by the measuring
device 102.
One or more knit lines 116A, 116B can be formed on the board 110
during the manufacturing process. These knit lines 116A, 116B may
result in a measurable channel in the surface of the board 110, the
depth of which can be compared against a list of knit line
threshold values stored with the controller 120. Provided the depth
of the knit lines 116A, 116B are within a suitable tolerance, they
will not be classified as a defect in the board's surface. However,
if the depth of the knit lines 116A, 116B is outside a suitable
tolerance, the location of the depth will be identified as residing
in a region for further testing.
Based on information provided by the sensor 104, the controller 120
generates coordinates to direct the measuring device 102 to the
identified regions 122, 124. As provided above, additional testing
can be performed. In some examples, the system 100 can be
controlled by manually programming the controller 120, including
modification to the threshold values, as well as directing the
sensor 104 or the testing device to a desired location on the board
110.
In some examples, a testing platform can be integrated into an
online manufacturing process. An online process is characterized by
a continuous flow of completed boards through one or more service
or test stations. For example, a conveyor system can advance a
completed board to a testing station. The testing station can be
configured to measure the flatness of the board as it passes the
station, such as by a laser scan. In such a case, the laser scan
can be oriented along a single axis, such as the axis perpendicular
to the axis of advancement. As the board advances through the
testing station, the laser scanner can measure a depth associated
with a valley, and a height associated with a peak. Based on this
information, regions can be identified for further testing (e.g.,
for compressive strength testing), as described herein.
For boards that require additional testing, a second testing
station can be located along the conveyor system. Coordinates can
be provided to one or more devices at the second testing station to
locate the regions that have been identified as requiring
additional testing. The additional testing can be conducted by a
CNC tester as described with respect to FIG. 1. Additionally or
alternatively, compressive strength can be measured manually, with
non-invasive testing apparatuses (e.g., IR scan, ultrasound, etc.),
or another measurement device. In some examples, the conveyor
system can direct boards that require additional testing to the
second testing station, whereas boards without identified defects
advance to a finishing and/or packaging area.
Based on the results from the laser scan and/or the compressive
strength testing, one or more parameters of the manufacturing
system can be adjusted to correct measured defects. Non-limiting
examples include the temperature of the applied material, the
flowrate pressure, the deposition volume, and/or the position of
the board on the manufacturing line, which can be adjusted to
mitigate the presence of defects in the completed boards. In some
examples, the board can be given a quality score, with an alert
being provided to a user, the board being marked, or other suitable
method.
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an example implementation of a
controller 220. The controller 220 can be of a type to operate as
the controller 120 of FIG. 1. The controller 220 includes a
communication interface 216 to transmit information to and receive
information from one or more devices and/or components. The
interface 216 is operatively connected to a user interface 214, a
processor 218, a memory 222, as well as a sensor 204, a testing
device 202, a motorized carriage 230, and a manufacturing system
232. The sensor 204 can include one or more of a laser scanner 205,
an IR sensor 206, an ultrasound sensor 208, a mechanical sensor
210, and a heat sensor 212.
The example controller 220 of FIG. 2 includes processor 218 capable
of executing computer readable instructions, and may be a
general-purpose computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a
mobile device, a server, and/or any other type of computing device
integrated or remote to the system 100. In some examples, the
controller 220 is implemented in a cloud computing environment, on
one or more physical machines, and/or on one or more virtual
machines.
The memory 222 contains a matrix or other listing of peak height
values 224, a matrix or other listing of valley depth values 226,
as well as a matrix or other list of knit line values 228. Each of
these values 224-228 correspond to threshold values for acceptable
deviations from the flat surface of a manufactured board, such as
board 110. For example, the controller 220 is configured to access
the memory 222 storing the lists of values 224, 226, 228. In some
examples, the controller 220 and the memory 222 are integrally
located (e.g., within a computing device). In some examples, the
controller 220 is connected to a network interface to access the
lists of values 224, 226, 228 via a communications network.
In some examples, the memory device 222 or another memory device
may include volatile or non-volatile memory, such as ROM, RAM,
magnetic storage memory, optical storage memory, or a combination
thereof, and may be integrated with the controller 220, located
remotely, or a combination of the two. In addition, a variety of
control parameters (e.g., for operating the sensor 204, the testing
device 202, the motorized carriage 230, and the manufacturing
system 232) may be stored in the memory device 222 along with code
configured to provide a specific output during operation of the
system 100.
The controller 220 is configured to receive one or more
measurements to determine the integrity of a board. For example,
the sensor 204 scans the board to identify peaks and valleys on the
surface of the board and measure their heights and depths relative
to the board surface, respectively. The information is sent to the
controller 220, which may utilize a look up table, an algorithm,
and/or a model stored in the memory device 222 to determine the
integrity of the board based on a relationship between the peaks
and valleys and the values stored in memory 222. For example, the
controller 220 compares the measured height of the peaks against
the peak values 224 stored in the memory 222 to determine if the
height is outside a suitable threshold. Similarly, the depth of the
valley and the knit lines are compared against the values in the
lists 226 and 228, respectively.
Based on the comparison, the controller 220 can determine whether
additional testing is required. If so, the controller 220 sends
coordinates to drive the motorized carriage 230 to the identified
region and controls the testing device 202 to perform additional
testing (e.g., a compressive strength test). Accordingly, the
testing device 202 can provide information regarding any defect,
which can be compiled, along with information on the peak and
valley measurements, to generate a score, an alert, or instructions
for modification to the manufacturing system 232.
In an example, the controller 220 determines a type and severity of
a defect in the board 110, and provides the information to the
manufacturing system 232. One or more operating values (e.g., a
flow rate, a pressure, a temperature, position of a deposited
substance, position of the stream, conveyor speed, etc.) of the
manufacturing system 232 can then be adjusted to ensure the defect
is corrected through the manufacturing process.
Based on the collected measurements, any adjustment required to an
operating value can be determined empirically. In some examples,
the controller 220 is configured to interpolate a correction to an
operating value. The operating value can then be adjusted to
correct the defect, as described herein. The controller 220 may
calculate, employ an algorithm, a model stored in the memory device
222, or apply one or more machine-learning techniques to determine
a desired adjustment.
Additionally or alternatively, the controller 220 may receive input
from the user interface 214 configured for inputting commands
and/or customizing controls (e.g., via graphical user interfaces
(GUI), touch screens, communication pathways, etc.).
FIG. 3 is a flowchart representative of example machine readable
instructions 300 which may be executed by the controller 110 of
FIG. 1 and controller 220 of FIG. 2 to determine the integrity of a
manufactured board (e.g., board 110) and adjust an operating value
of a manufacturing system (e.g., manufacturing system 232), in
accordance with the examples provided in FIGS. 1 and 2. At block
302, a parameter corresponding to a flatness of a surface of the
manufactured board is measured by a sensor, such as by sensors 104,
204. At block 304, regions on the surface corresponding to a peak
or a valley are identified based on the measured parameter.
At block 306, height values associated with each peak and depth
values associated with each valley are determined. At block 308,
the determined height and depth values are compared against
threshold values to determine the severity of variance in the
measured and stored values. If the height and depth values are
within an acceptable threshold level, the process returns to block
302 to continue to monitor and measure flatness of this or another
board. If the height and depth values are outside an acceptable
threshold level, at block 310 each region that corresponds to a
height and/or depth that exceeds threshold height and depth values
is identified.
At block 312, the compressive strength and/or the density of the
board at each region identified as exceeding the threshold is
measured. Additionally or alternatively, at block 314, the height
and depth values are compared to stored height and depth values
corresponding to operating values. At block 316, an operating value
of a board manufacturing process is adjusted based on the
comparison performed in block 314. In some examples, a score and/or
other information is generated to inform a process or operator as
to the integrity of the manufactured board.
The present methods and systems may be realized in hardware,
software, and/or a combination of hardware and software. Example
implementations include an application specific integrated circuit
and/or a programmable control circuit.
The present technology is now described in such full, clear and
concise terms as to enable a person skilled in the art to which it
pertains, to practice the same. It is to be understood that the
foregoing describes preferred embodiments of the present technology
and that modifications may be made therein without departing from
the spirit or scope of the present technology as set forth in the
appended claims. Further, the examples are provided to not be
exhaustive but illustrative of several embodiments that fall within
the scope of the claims.
* * * * *